Sundance Documentary ‘Spaceship Earth’ Embraces Neon’s Non-Traditional Distribution Path For Debut
Neon has acquired global worldwide rights to Matt Wolf’s Sundance documentary Spaceship Earth, and has released it today across a footprint of traditional and non-traditional venues.
The film will play theatrically in participating drive-ins, and select pop-up city-scape projections (accessible by quarantined city dwellers). In addition, Neon has worked with exhibitors to launch the film on theater websites, plus websites of other affected businesses interested in participating.
Current confirmed distribution partners include film festivals, museums, and first-time film purveyors like bookstores, restaurants and more. The footprint is rounded out by a simultaneous digital launch on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, FandangoNow, Vudu, DIRECTV, DISH and longtime Neon partner Hulu.
Impact Partners’, RadicalMedia and Stacey Reiss Productions Spaceship Earth, directed by Matt Wolf, debuted at Sundance. Spaceship Earth is the true adventure of eight visionaries who, in 1991, spent two years quarantined inside of a self-engineered replica of Earth’s ecosystem called Biosphere 2.
The experiment was a worldwide phenomenon, chronicling daily existence in the face of life threatening ecological disaster, and a growing criticism that it was nothing more than a cult.
Neon’s release strategy was devised as a way to address the current limitations of the theatrical experience with the aim of bringing communities and cinephiles together and help support organizations and businesses in need. Distribution partners will have the option to host private screenings and/or to co-host live online Q&A’s and panels with filmmakers and other guests.
A partial list of non-traditional partners includes Atlas Obscura, Earth Day Network, Books are Magic, the Explorers Club, Posteritati, Fernbank Museum, NYC Trivia League, Talcott Mountain Science Center, Ground Support Cafe, Explorers Club, Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, SITE Sante Fe, Synergetic Press, City Growers, Bud Werner Memorial Library, Santa Monica French bistro Pasjoli and Brooklyn eatery Locanda Vinii & Olie.
Other small businesses and organizations in the US interested in partnering with Neon can learn more and sign-up at www.NEONrated.com .
“Neon has never released a film without the benefit of theaters and Spaceship Earth is no exception to that rule,” said Neon founder/CEO Tom Quinn. “As every day becomes a harsh, almost surreal, new reality, it’s clear we must continue launching new films and entertain audiences as best we can. It’s also important we innovate and adapt to support the many businesses in need. Even though Spaceship Earth won’t be playing in theaters, we hope by making it available ‘everywhere’ the film’s release can at least embody the communal spirit of cinema if not the big screen. We miss our partners in exhibition greatly and look forward to cinema’s triumphant return.”
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